So it’s Valentines Day and what says romance more than a 4AM start to the day in order to cross the Gulf of Mexico and pull into your slip at the Steinhatchee Marina in Deadman’s Bay. Cupid has nothing on us.
We started in complete darkness at 4AM in order to get to our destination before the wind and waves picked up. As it turns out it was fairly calm and uneventful except for piloting the boat out of the marina 3 and a half hours before sunrise.
Ourselves and 3 other boats made arrangements to leave together. The picture below is of our radar screen, you can see the image of the other three boats astern of us and to port (behind on the left).
This was at 5:30AM still 2 hours until sunrise and we were out through the pass and into the gulf.
When the sun did come up it was pretty spectacular, especially since the temperature was 38F/3C. The sun provided some welcome heat.
Most of the day was spent out of site of land but it was worth it to be off the Florida panhandle and onto the peninsula heading south.
Now that’s more like it. Happy Valentines Day.
Moon Dance IV 
bon voyage!
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Yay!! You’re on the move to warmer temps! Glad your first leg was uneventful. Deadman’s a nice marina, despite the name.
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Hi
What a lovely place to be. I did ask before but please remind me. did you take the boat all the way down the coast, drive it there or rent one when you got there? I am dead jealous. We are ging to Mauritius for 3 weeks in May and I shall have a week or 2 in Canada and we hope to get to Amsterdam for a few days. But then is is just so easy to relax at home.
all the best
Elaine ________________________________
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That’s real boating! I hope to hear about this in person someday.
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Glad you’ve made it safely across the Gulf. Happy sailing down the coast 🥰
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Really looking forward to it. We will be in Crystal River checking out the manatees for a few days.
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